Latino growth brings progress, problems

The San Fernando Valley's Latino population has grown more than four times faster than the rest of Los Angeles' Latino population, leading demographers to project Latinos may outnumber Anglos in the Valley by as early as 2010. Tony Castro in the Daily News.

Fueling the growth is immigration of Central Americans and Mexicans to the Northeast Valley, where once-isolated Latino pockets have mushroomed into full-scale communities.

While the boom has created a vibrant, multicultural Valley, it has not come without problems - including urban decay and crime.

According to law enforcement officials, the Valley is now home to 20,000 gang members - predominantly Latino - and gang violence has increased 42 percent in the past year.

And 85 percent of the time, those most victimized by the gangs are other Latino residents of the Valley.